The big news making Headlight News for the week beginning with Christmas is General Motors putting the brakes on the new Chevy Blazer EV before it even starts with a stop-sale order to dealers. It finishes with the efforts of automotive journalists to rescue some puppies during the holiday season trekking from Utah to Oregon. Check out the podcast at Headlight.News.
The Volkswagen ID.GTI will reach market sometime late in 2026, according to the brand’s design chief, marking the latest VW icon to make the transition to all-electric power. More from Headlight.News
General Motors has issued a stop-sale order on the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV due to mounting reports of problems with the battery-powered SUV. The issues appear to be software-based, and among those motorists have cited, are problems getting the vehicle to charge. A spokesman told Headlight.News the concerns impact a “limited number” of Blazer EVs, adding that Chevy is looking to make very quick fixes.
Like the rest of its North American assembly lines, the Stellantis plant in Brampton, Ontario will be idled over the long holiday break. But unlike the rest of the production network it will stay off-line through the 2024 model year. The three models produced in Brampton – the Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars, and the big Chrysler 300 sedan – are going out of production. An all-electric version of Challenger is in the works, but plans to replace the other two models are uncertain. More from Headlight.News
The EV share of the U.S. new car market has grown over 800% since 2019 – but it’s flattened out in recent months and industry analysts say the high cost of today’s all-electric models is a major problem as EVs go from niche to mainstream. Hyundai hopes to address that problem, a senior exec has hinted, with a new entry model likely to be dubbed the Hyundai Ioniq 2. More from Headlight.News.
The U.S. auto industry set a new fuel economy record in 2022, according to the EPA – though Detroit’s Big Three automakers lagged both foreign-owned brands and domestic start-ups. It marked the biggest improvement in mileage in nine years. More from Headlight.News .
Nearly half of all Buick dealers are taking buyouts from General Motors. Many Cadillac dealers accepted similar buyouts previously, and it reflects dealer concerns about the cost of converting their showrooms and service departments to handle battery-electric vehicles. GM plans to go 100% EV by 2035, though the automaker is adjusting the pace of that transition as EV sales growth slows.
After three years of rising prices and a lack of traditional sales incentives, new vehicle buyers have good reason to celebrate this holiday season. Sticker prices are stabilizing and, in some cases, are even falling. Meanwhile, incentives are back in a big way, and are expected to continue rising in the months to come, reports Headlight.News.
Canada is the latest country planning to require automakers to sell 100% zero-emissions vehicles by 2035, though that could include hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, as well as EVs. Two Canadian provinces previously laid out the same target — as have a number of other countries, including the United Kingdom. More from Headlight.News.
One of the nicest looking midsize SUVs you’ll find, the second-generation 2024 Volvo XC90 is an excellent of example of good looks and top-line technology. Check out the review at Headlight.News.
It all began with a simple report and ended in a four-year prison term. Nikola founder Trevor Milton was sentenced Monday after being found guilty of lying to the company’s investors after he made claims about the company’s technology that were untrue. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Headlight News for the Week of 12-18-23 includes the Tesla recall, auto job cuts, holiday travel tips, This Week in Auto History — and a Toyota Tacoma Review. Check it out!